That is the number of miles I have driven since departing from Morgantown on May 29th.  I still have roughly 300 more miles to go before the first trip of the summer is complete.  Check out the map below to see where I have been and will be going.  I will describe where and why after the map.

The basic layout of the map is that the blue lines are where I have already been (or close to them) and the red is where I still need to go.

For starters, I had all good intentions of writing this post before any of these travels began but, as is the usual, many odd things popped up and I was unable to write anything.

The trip began in Morgantown, WV at my new place of residence (still getting used to roomies).  From there I traveled home to see the family for a few days as well as go to the graduate service at church in Wytheville, VA.  They honored the high school and college graduates and even gave us a lunch.  After the lunch, I set off for Myrtle Beach, SC, to spend some time with a friend of mine from Morgantown.  Her family has a place less than 100 yards from the beach, which makes it fantastic!  Something that amazed me with the trip thus far is the difference between the 3 towns.  In Morgantown, things seem to be moving at 50% light speed – always going, not a lot of down time, that type of thing (and 100% light speed is currently impossible to attain unless you are a wee-little photon).  In Wytheville, compared to Morgantown, things are moving much much slower.  The people seem to be taking their time and things are moving at their own pace.  Finally, in Myrtle Beach (in an area between Myrtle-Myrtle and North Myrtle) everything seems to have stopped – or at least slowed down considerably even from Wytheville standards.  It is always very relaxing there.

Ahh… The fishie is going to get you!

 

After a few days at the beach, I ventured to Boone, NC, for a bachelor party.  On June 6th, my sister got married to the love of her life and I was in the wedding party.  As such, I got invited to the bachelor party, which was at the groom’s family cabin in Boone.  Good times were to be had there including a broken well cover (of which I may or may not have been the one to break it).  After the party most of us had to travel to Roanoke, VA to pick up our tux.  I did not realize before hand but this trip took me through Wytheville once again, so I picked up dad and we made this part of my trek together (plus he knows more of where things are in Roanoke than I do).  Then, as one might expect, we came back to Wytheville.

Somewhere in North Carolina 

The wedding was fantastic.  Michael, the groom, was very nervous and excited and happy – as we thought he would be.  Lauren, the bride, was more beautiful than I have ever seen her.

The newlyweds! 

So now I have caught you up on where all I have been, now for where I will be traveling (the red line if you remember).  I am going to be in Wytheville until Friday morning, which is when I will set out for Elkins, WV.  Billy, a friend of mine and housemate, has invited many people for a little weekend campout at his cabin by the creek.  So while everyone else is coming down from Morgantown, I will be traveling up from Wytheville.  I could take the usual and quicker route along the interstates but I have decided on a different route.  My aunt went to WVU back in the days when there were only 2 Towers and the interstate system did not exist and has talked about her route up there many times.  I have always wanted to take “the back way”, just never had enough time usually to do it.  So this time I am going to take a back way although it will not be her way.  In the middle-of-nowhere, West Virginia (Greenbank to be exact), there is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope.  It is roughly 100m in diameter (330 feet for those english-standard folk).  I have always seen the signs pointing to Greenbank but have never ventured there.  Since it is kind-of on the way, why not see it?  After the camping trip I will return to Morgantown in order to pack and get ready for the second round of trips this summer: DC, Alaska, and the beach (different one).

Until next time, Ciao! Ciao!

 

P.S. Every mile that has and will be driven on this trip is me driving, no substitute drivers here haha